Centre gifts Rs 94 crore for city infrastructure projects

The Central government has sanctioned Rs 94 crore as second installment for three civic infrastructure projects.

The three projects — two water tunnels and a solid waste management project — fall under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) funded by the Centre.

The Centre and the state government will fund 35 per cent and 15 per cent of the project respectively, while the Central government (BMC) will fund the remaining 50 per cent.

Under JNNURM, Rs 11.74 crore has been sanctioned for the Malabar Hill to Cross Maidan water tunnel, Rs 36.86 crore for Marol to Ruparel College water tunnel and Rs 45.56 crore for the sewage project (phase II).

Additional Municipal Commissioner Anil Diggikar, who met M. Ramchandran, secretary, central Urban Development Department at New Delhi last week, said the funds would be released soon.

Work on the Marol-Ruparel College tunnel work is on. The tunnel will replace the old Tansa and Upper Vaitarna trunk mains and augment the water supply.

Both water tunnels are expected to be completed by October 2010.

After the tunnels On its completion, the water supply to — Kalbadevi, Dhobitalao, Thakurdwar, Boribunder, Fort, Backbay, Colaba, Nariman point, Cuffe Parade and Colaba —will increase.

Old sewer lines will be replaced by newer ones at the cost of about Rs 360 crore, to improve the sewage disposal system of the city. There are about 61 works on different locations under this project.